Biography
Not to be confused with
Billy Baldwin of the Baldwin brothers' fame, Bill Baldwin is much more recognizable to the ear than he is to the eye. Despite landing a slew of small supporting roles between the early '50s and the year of his death, 1982, Baldwin's career revolved around his strong, carrying voice. In 1956, Baldwin played a fight announcer in
The Leather Saint, an unremarkable prizefighting drama that nonetheless foreshadowed his most famous vocal role: that of the ringside announcer in
Rocky (1976), nearly 20 years later. Baldwin's voice could also be heard in
Rocky II and III, as it could in fellow boxing films
The Champ (1979) and
Goldie and the Boxer Go to Hollywood (1981). When he wasn't offering play-by-plays, Baldwin was likely immersed in the role of radio announcer for a variety of showbiz dramas and television programs, among them
With a Song in My Heart (1952),
The One and Only (1978), and a long stint on
The Beverly Hillbillies. Interestingly enough, one of his non-voice-related performances was a bit part in a film as acclaimed as
Rocky: Baldwin appeared briefly as a salesman in Oscar-winning director
Roman Polanski's
Rosemary's Baby (1968). ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide